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Wilkey earns Big Ten Freshman honors

Published by admin on Tue, 06/26/2018 - 5:22pm

Photo by Northwestern Athletics
FORMER REED-CUSTER standout Kenna Wilkey continues to impress at Northwestern University where she won 20 games pitching her freshman season. Wilkey earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week recognition and was chosen for the NFCA All-Region second team as well as the Big Ten Freshman team.

By:

Shawn Long

Staff Writer

by Shawn Long
staff writer
Former Lady Comet pitching ace, Kenna Wilkey has been earning accolades with her new team.
Wilkey, a freshman at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, was selected to the NFCA All-Great Lakes Region second softball team. She was also named to the Big Ten Freshman Team.
Wilkey was the Wildcats’ top pitcher, compiling 187.2 innings with 20 victories in 27 starts. She finished the season with a 3.51 ERA while striking out 148 batters.
In her first start as a Wildcat, she went 3.2 innings while striking out eight batters against San Diego State.
Another big highlight her freshman year was throwing a complete game two-hitter while going 3-for-3 at the plate to beat NC State.
Wilkey is the first 20-game winner for Northwestern since Lauren Delaney in 2009.
Wilkey also had a good year at the plate, maintaining a .264 batting average in 144 at-bats with six home runs and 61 RBIs. Her first collegiate at-bat was a three-run home run against San Diego State.
Wilkey and the Wildcats lost the regional game against Georgia, 9-7. Georgia went on to play in the World Series.
The Northwestern Wildcats were 38-19, 14-8 on the season, good enough to earn them 24th in the nation.
While at Reed-Custer, Wilkey was named All-Conference all four years as a starting pitcher.
She held 732 career strikeouts as a Lady Comet with a career 1.71 ERA.
Also during her final season, she became a first team member on the Class 2A Illinois Coaches Association All-State Team, finishing with a 1.50 ERA, while punching out 260 batters in 126 2/3 innings.
She was also a threat at the dish in high school with a career .455 batting average, hitting seven long balls and 61 RBIs.